Sarah Marshall

The UK's leading researcher on the Hillsborough disaster is set to speak at a national conference in Sheffield this week, and discuss what the Grenfell Tower inquiry can learn from the 1989 disaster.

Professor Phil Scraton, criminologist and author from Queen's University Belfast is scheduled to speak at the British Society of Criminology (BSC) Conference at Sheffield Hallam University on July 6.

He is best known for his research into the context, circumstances and aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster and produced two influential reports in 1990 and 1995 as well as several academic papers and the highly commended book Hillsborough: The Truth.

Dr Sunita Toor, principal lecturer in criminology at Sheffield Hallam, and chair of Professor Scraton's plenary session, said: "The Hillsborough disaster has been brought in to sharp focus again recently due to the criminal charges announcement. To hear Phil's first-hand account will be thought-provoking and challenging in equal measure."

A spokesman for university added that Professor Scraton is also expected to outline what he believes those leading the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster can learn from Hillsborough.

The BSC conference, titled 'Forging Social Justice: Local Challenges, Global Complexities', is expected to attract hundreds of practitioners, policy makers, academics and students from the criminology community across the world.